Means for filling and cleaning fountain-pens.



IIIe.. MM5@ .Patented Feb. I9, I90l. H. H. BALLRD. MEANS FR FILLING ANI)CLEANING FUUNTAIN PENS.l

(Application led 0e?. 27l 1900:)

(IIIe model.)

VW I n.1 I I I .I I .11 IVM IIIII .I.MIIIIIIIII..IIIII-IIII.IIII I.

yTATS HARLAN HOGE BALLARD, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o.. 668,150, datedlelornary` 19, E961. Application filed October 27, 1900. Serial No.34,552. (No model.)

To LZZ whom t .may concern:

Be it known that I, HABLAN Hoen BAL-l LARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and f Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful vImprovements inMeans for Filling and Cleaning FountainfPenspf which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to means for filling and cleaning founiainlpens;and it has for its object to provide improved meansof this class adaptedfor use in connection with fountainpens of any ordinary type which willbe su- Y view of a fountain-pen constructed according to my inventionand illustrating the filling 'means in operative connection withthesame.

Fig. 2 isa central longitudinal sectional View of the construction shownin Fig. 1.( Fig. 3

. is a perspective View of the rear end of .the

detached position.

handle portion of the improved pen. .Fig. 4 is a perspective view of theilling means in Fig. 5, is a central longitudinal sectional View of thefilling means.

Corresponding parts in all' the figures are vdenoted by the samereference characters.

`Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a fountain-pen, which is in themain of the ordinary type, comprising a body or handleportion 2 and-thepen proper, 3. ,The handle portion is provided with the usuallongitudinal reservoir or fountain-chamber 4, which is open at one end,as at 5, with respect to the pen proper, 3, and the feed-chamber 6,which guides the ink to the pen proper'.`

7 designates the detachable member of my improved filling and cleaningmeans,which is adapted for connection with the handle portion 2 at the'rear end thereof and in ,opera-v tive relation to a 4connection device8. The connection device 8 preferably'constitutes a closure for the rearend of the fountain-chamber and embodies a valve 9, which may beunseajted to establish communication between the fountain-chamber 4 andthe llingvdevice?. The con'nection device or closure 8 prefer-I ablyconsists of a pluglO, which is secured in with the nipple 11.

the rear end of the handle portion 2 and closes the same, and a nipple11,which projects rear! Wardly from the plug and preferably extendsslightly' beyond the rear end of the handle V.form an extension ofthe'bore ofj the nipple 11. 14, which operates with respectl to theinner The valve 9 preferably consistsof a disk faoeof'the plug l0,normally closing the bore A '13 of fthe'same, and said diskis Aprovidedwith la valve-stem 15, which operates inthe Vbore 13. The valve-disk14is maintainednormally in seated position upon the plug 10 by means ofa,spring 16,-Which is preferablyi'nterposed between' the-valve-disk and across-brace17, secured to the inner walls of the reservoir 4.

The valve-disk- 14 Vis 'readily-.unseated by passing a` projection ofsuitable forminto the nipple 1 1 and movingthe valve-disk inwardlyagainst the tension ofthe spring`l6. When the valve is in seatedposition, it effectually closes the chamber 4at its rear endandpositively retains the ink or other contents of the pen-reservoir withinthe same.

18 designates a protective cap, which is preferably employed as asupplemental closure for the rear end of the chamber 4. The cap 18 ispreferably formed at its open end with a reduced portion 19, whichisthreaded upon its outer surface portion, as at 20, a'nd fits Within theannular space 12 between the nipple'll and the end-of the handleportion,

which latter is interiorly threaded, as at 21,

for engagement with the threads 2O to connect the cap 18 with the handleportion and,`

cover the nipple 11'rk y The cap 18 precludesl the entrance of dust andother foreign substances into the nipple 11 and 'also'fpre'vents'inadvertent aotuationof the valveV tonse'at the valve-disk. A

The filling and cleaning device 7 preferably consists of a flexibleelastic bulb 22, provided at its front end with a projecting mouthpieceor nozzle portion 23, adapted for connection The filling device 7 alsoembodies a valve-operating device 24, which 3S i zle portion 23 and thenipple v11, the valve is preferably consists, of a valve-pin` 25, whichis passed longitudinally through the bulb 22 and projects through thenozzle portion 23.

The valve-pin 25 is preferably provided at its rear end with alfinger-piece 25"L and with a lug or enlargement 25h, spaced slightlyfrom the same. "When the valve-pin is in opera- .tive position, the'finger-piece 25a is arranged exteriorly of the bulb and the lug-25b isar.- ranged' within the latter, and the valve-pin is ihusprevented fromdisplacement.

When the nozzle portion 23 of the bulb 22 is passedover the nipple, withwhich it obtains atight connection beca-useof its lelasticity and thebulbous orenlargedform of the'head 12 of the nipple, the valve-pin 25may be reciprocated through the nozzleportion of the bulb and throughthe nipple and may be engaged with the valve-sterny to. unseat thelvalvev and establish communication Y betweenthe ink-reservoir 4 and thebulb 22.

26 designates the `usual cap, which is adapti ed to be fitted over thepen proper and the adjacentportion` of, the 'pen-body 2 for' the to tillthe chamber 4 or to empty. or clean thev same. When the bulb -2? hasbeenconnected with the handle portion b'y means ofthe nozunseated bypressi-ng upon the head 25a of the valve-pin 2,5,Which operation forcesthe val vepin through'the nozzle portion 23 into engage-y mentwith thevalve-stemthus unseating the valve-disk against'f.,the tension of "thespringy 13. If it is'desire'd to fill the reservoir 4, the bulb 22 iscompressed at the sides and the air is forced from the' sameand from thechamber 4. The pen-proper end of the pen is then dipped into ink and the'pressure removed from thebulb, which latter` then expands and I drawsVthe ink by suction into the chamber 4 at the pen-end portion 5 of thesame. The bulb is now detached from the nipple 11, and

l as soon asthe valve-pin A 24 leaves the valvestem the valve seats'uponthe plug 10 and positively closes the rear 'end of the chamber 4. 1twillA be noted that the operation of unseating the valve is produced byvertical press sure upon the bulb and that theoperation'of forcing theair out of the chamber4in the penhandle is produced by lateral pressureupon the bulb. To discharge the contents ofcthe chamber 4, theoperatimiL is reversed. After the' valve has been unseated by thevalve-pin 24 the bulb is compressed, and the air expelled fromthesalneiforces the ink out of the chamber 4 at the end portion 5thereof.

j The pen may be elfectually cleaned by dipingthe pen-proper end intoalcohol, Water,

' I or' futher fsuitableffiiuid Iand subjecting the :l

comprising a iiexible o r elastic. bulb provided esente bulb inoperative position to contractions or compressions and expansions afterthe valwb pin has been operated to vunseat the valve. This operationsubjects the pen proper and reservoir to a cleansing flow whichthoroughly cleans the same.

-The valve 9 furnishes an effectual closure for the reservoir `5 andadmits-of ready coinmunication between the `lling and cleaning deviceand the pen-reservoir. It will be. noted that the valve-disk is notins'eated until the- Vbulb or iilling device has been tightlyfconnectedwith the handle portion, preventing spilling of theliquid contents ofthe reservoir, which often results in illing fountain-pens in` theordinary manuel'. The employment of4 my improved filling and cleaningmeans for fou ntain-pens obviates all pouring ofthe inkfof'r othercontents with the attendant danger of spilling'the same'7 and the-liquidcontents may be drawn in the mauner above-described from any ordinaryinkwell or other receptacle. ,A i 5 9o I do notdesire to be understoodas restricting myseli-` to the exact details pf construction andarrangement, as ,herein shown vand de-` scribed, as manifest variationand modification may be resorted to withoutdeparting y from` the spiritand scope of myinvention and improvements. I therefore reserve the rightl to all such variation and modification as properly falls within thelscope of my invention and Athe terms of the following claims. f meHaving, thus described my invention y -vclaim ,and desire to secure byLetters Paient-. f 1. fountain-pen provided'in the loody or b handleportion with a valved opening com#` municating with the reservoir of thepen, and v` a lling'or,emptying-device consistiiigvofa` compressibleelastic bulb provided -with a projecting nozzle portion adapted forconnection with the `handle v portion of the-:pen in 'no com municationwith .said.ope.ning, andvalve'-l operating means extending entirelythrough 'said bulb and-...projecting through said nozzle 'portion' aton'e'end and exterior-ly ofsaid bulbv atthe other end whereby the.closed or open I I5 condition of said valved Opening may be posi-.tively'regulated at all phases `ol" the'fxlling 0r. emptyingoperation.' u

2. -Asanimprovement in fountain-pens, a filling or cleanin g'de'vioe-for the pen-reservoir, comprising a iiexibleor elastic bulb provided'with afpro-jecting nozzle portion adaptedifor connection vwith the'handle portion of'the pen, and-a continuous valve-operating deviceprojecting through said nozzle portion at one g u 1 z 5 end andterminating at the other end exterior 'of said bulb in a head or ngerpiece.

' 3. As an improvement in;fountai'n-pens,f'a-` lling'or cleaning devicefor the pen-reservoir?, n

139 With-a mouth portion adaptedA for connection with the handle portionof the pen, and a Val-ve-operating'device consisting of a pin pro-V'ji-'icting through, said-mouth portion atoue l `With said bullo.

end and terminating at the'other ehd exterior of said bulb in a head oriinger piece.

4. As an improvement in fountain-pens, a

filling or cleaning device for lthe pen-reservoir, comprising a leXibleelastic bulb provided with a month portion adapted for connection withthe handle portion of the pen, and a oontinuous valore-operating deviceprojecting through said mouth portion at one end and Jterminating at the5. A foun tain-pen provided in the body or handle portion with a valvedopening oomniunioating with the reservoir of the pen; and a filling oremptying device consisting of a eompressible elastic bulb provided witha projecting mouth portion adapted for connecother end in oonneotiontion with the handle portion of the pen in communication With saidopening, and valveoperating means extending entirely through said bulband projecting through said mouth portion at one end and eXtendii/i,linto oonneotion with said bulb at the other end Whereloy the closed oropen condition of Said valved opening* may be positively regulated atall phases of the filling or emptying operation.

In testimony whereof l have signed my naine in the presence of thesubscribing Wit DGSSGS.

.HABLAN Hoen BALLARD.

Witnesses:

R. B. BARDWEI,i WM. H. lnnicms

